1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motion detection apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a motion detection apparatus that is applied to a video camera and that detects a motion of an entire object scene captured on an imaging surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to one example of this type of an apparatus, whether each of a plurality of detection regions allocated to a screen is valid/invalid is determined based on a minimum correlation value and an average correlation value calculated by a motion detection circuit Specifically, a detection region having an average correlation value exceeding seven times the minimum correlation value is determined as a valid region, while a detection region having an average correlation value equal to or less than seven times the minimum correlation value is determined as an invalid region. A total motion vector is detected in a manner which is different according to the number of valid regions, and shaking of an imaging surface is corrected by referencing the detected total motion vector. However, when a moving object enters the detection region that captures an object scene of low contrast, the average correlation value calculated in this detection region increases. When the increased average correlation value exceeds seven times the minimum correlation value, this detection region changes from an invalid region to a valid region, and the motion of the moving object is reflected in a detection process of the total motion vector.